Roll up bloggers (and lawyers), Orwell Prize opens for business!

Orwell Prize is open for entries

The Orwell Prize 2010 has opened for entries. So roll up bloggers with your entries… and roll up m’learned friends for a fun day out with the Sunday Times.

Entries close on 20th January and the longlists (18 books, 12 journalists, 12 bloggers) will be announced on 24th March. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 19th May and each will receive £3000 (to fund legal defences). The results of this year’s Sunday Times high court injunction will be announced sometime around June 2010.

So best of luck bloggers (… against Mr Justice Eady)!

PS. Northern Ireland’s very own Three Thousand Versts was one of the finalists last year – could he go all the way this year? And if anyone has been the earnest swot at the back of class bouncing on his seat shouting ‘Please sir over here’, then it’s Burke’s Corner. Someone please offer something to the little tyke – he’s studied really, really hard for this. Bless.

The biggest show in the country… brought to you by the SDLP!

No wonder the Stephen Nolan Show is ‘the biggest show in the country’… it’s practically sponsored by the SDLP!!

I don’t know about you, but the SDLP Daily Dispatch email is my link to the outside world. It’s a series of links to news releases and messages from the Party HQ to people on their mailing list.

Suffice to say, if I need a serious hit of hard news I shoot up with the SDLP Daily Dispatch.

So what’s in this week’s consignment of extremely hard news?

Well, usual pow-wow about P&J and Sri Lankan refugee camps and… this:

Steven Nolan Show

We would once again encourage members to tune into the Steven Nolan show and ring up with views: CALL (9:00 – 10:30am) 0845 9555678.  SMS (9:00 – 10:30am) 81771.  EMAIL (anytime) nolan@bbc.co.uk

BBC Radio Ulster Talkback – talk.back@bbc.co.uk/08459555678 – It is always helpful for party activists to respond to issues and put across the SDLP position to such a widespread audience.

What?? The SDLP at the heart of a scandal to manipulate debates on the biggest show in the country!! But this is YOUR platform to bring YOUR stories to the BIGGEST show in the COUNTRY. And the SDLP are getting between YOU and YOUR stories. What will Nolan make of this? The show prides itself as the most unspun show on radio (is it?).

What happens when ordinary ol’ Joe Soap brings his story to the biggest to the country (and, erm, Talkback) – does he end up talking to a hoard of SDLP members and press officers? (Perish the thought.) Makes you wonder – when we tune in, are we getting the authentic voice of the great NI public?

Can this explain the fact that Carmel Hanna is never off the radio but is otherwise invisible?

Bloody Stoops are everywhere. Where will it end? I’m playing it safe an’ whipping out the ol’ tin foil helmet. Manipulate that SDLP!

Bobballs on Bloggtalk talking balls!

Bloggers Alan in Belfast, no gloss just Matt and, erm, meself discussed the availability of public data on the Internet, the Trafigura affair and its exposure on blogs and joint statement by the SDLP and UUP about education. Also featured is an interview with Slugger O’Toole’s Mick Fealty.

Clever editing (high fives Carl!) means I don’t look too much a prat, but if I sound a prat that’s all my own fault…

Oh, and if you are a blogger (and particularly a laydee blogger), get involved by e-mailing Carl (carl AT northernvisions DOT org).

Review of Soldiers’ Stories – History channel documentary…

This year is the 40^th anniversary of the start of Operation Banner – the deployment of British troops to Northern Ireland. During this 40-year period up to 300,000 soldiers served here – from this number1,300 would be killed and 6,000 injured.

To mark this, the History Channel has put together an hour and a half long documentary ‘Soldiers’ Stories – Northern Ireland’, which screens tonight at 9pm. Some excerpts of the interviews with ex-army can be seen here.

It’s a pretty accomplished piece of work that gives the squaddie’s perspective. The accounts are harrowing – descriptions of bomb blasts and their aftermath; the riots; firefights, snipers etc. It also captures the fear involved in the everyday, unspectacular stuff which didn’t make the news or the history books.

The accounts are engaging and highly personal – the mix of types of interviewee offers good insight (ie. bomb disposal, RAMC, squaddies, NI regiments). Presenter Ken Hames (not someone I’ve come across before) is an ex-army officer who served eight tours here and his script is very much in sympathy with those who also shared that experience. His narration is another element to the soldiers’ story.

All in all, it’s insightful stuff and a valuable contribution to oral history and accounts of what happened here over four decades.

There’s an awful lot of material circulating on the Troubles but the quality and honesty of the interviews adds new perspective. Tonight at 9pm on History.

Unite Against Hate event…

As always these days, no time to blog properly – just time to post up on upcoming event this Saturday…

Unite Against Hate are holding a special event at Northumberland “peace wall” gates on October 24 from 2:45pm. Over 250,000 Peace Poles have been planted in conflict zones throughout the world, yet not one exists in Northern Ireland. A Peace Pole will be erected between the gates in Northumberland Street at a ceremony lasting c.15 minutes (Naomi Long & Patricia Lewsley wil be there plus others). On Sat evening will be a ‘United in Hope’ community concert with the Waterford Omagh Peace Choir – this takes place in the City LIFE Centre in Northumberland Street @ 7.30 pm.

Thought it worth mentioning…

Fabric of universe threatened by DRD Committee…

The scene in Room 21 yesterday

Everyone remembers the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. It’s that place in Switzerland where millions of dollars have been spent replicating the effect of a Black Hole.

Sure, you can build on a 27 km ring of thousands of superconducting magnets designed to boost the energy of two beams of particles so that they can be collided into each other at close to the speed of light. You can do all that if you like… or you can just go to a DRD Committee meeting. There was an awe-inspiring Black Hole in the second half of its agenda on Wednesday afternoon.

This was what the DRD Committee had scheduled yesterday between 11.10am and 12.40pm.

11.10 am – 11.30 am          …. … Written evidence from the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation. (NONE)

12.00 pm – 12.10 pm          Marine Strategy Framework Directive: Written briefing on the implications for Regional Development. (NONE)

12.10 pm – 12.15 pm            Land identified for abandonment and disposal: Quarterly update. (NONE)

12.15 pm – 12.25 pm            Committee response to DRD on the Accessible Transport Strategy Action Plan. (NONE)

12.25 pm – 12.40 pm           Subordinate legislation. (NONE)

None? Mmmm. And some people used to think black holes are unobservable. But there it is – an observable phenomenon occurring intermittently between 11.10am and 12.40pm at Wednesday October 14. (The nano-hamsters are emailing NASA as we speak!)

Also, I was drawn to this explanatory note attached in the agenda:

 (Please note these timings are indicative)

It gives you a glimpse into how bureaucracy works – you must indicate the quantity of time required for 11 MLAs and a couple of clerks to discuss precisely nothing (just in case you run over?).

Eg. Discussing no subordinate legislation? Could be 15 minutes, might over-run to 20 minutes. Discussing no written briefing on the implications for Regional Development within the Marine Strategy Framework? Mmmm… 10 minutes? 5 minutes? 2o minutes? 

A vortex of nothingness where time is meaningless and which permits no energy nor anything bright to escape can be called a Black Hole… or a DRD Committee (depending on whether you’re a astro-physicist or a politics geek).

In truth, this kind of phenomenon has been occurring all over Stormont. If the LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY were to produce more LEGISLATION, then the committees would be able to scrutinise it and agendae would fill up with work.  

But this also shows us one other thing - MPs aren’t the only people wasting tax-payers money. Those boffins in Switzerland are havin’ a laff. You can observe the terrifying power of the Black Hole without all that hoo-ey about magnets – all it costs a plane ticket and a taxi ride to Stormont. I demand an investigation.

Bobballs’s big links!

1. For Chrissakes big business, stop sending me freebees and money and stuff for the kids. Dontcha know it’s against US law to bribe bloggers! At Bobballs we will not bow before the corporate dollar – I mean, you really don’t need me to tell you that Lexus offers world-beating engineering and unmatchable customer service. That goes without saying.  (You’re fired. Ed.)
2. On the same subject, The Guardian says you shouldn’t need to regulate for commonsense. And The Washington Times wonders how on earth the FTC are going discriminate between blogger, journalist and broadcaster…
3. Real Clear Politics has a decent round up of the Obama Peace Prize fiasco (when Heat awarded Tony Blair ‘Torso of the Week’ it was marginally more credible). Neat job Barry!
4. Obama’s services to world peace may be questionable but his services to comedy endure. I like this from the Huffington Post. Barry’s got some of the best gag writers out there – this was one of the finest stand up routines of the past 12 months…
5. Oh, and who ya calling baboon, Clarkey? Irish Times Screenwriter whinges its way toward a bloooog. Sure, very self-aware and conspicuously smug – though I think I might just prefer Megan Fox’s rockin’ ass… but make your own mind up!

That UUP South Belfast letter…

[Have also posted this over at Open Unionism.]

I’ve had a conversation with a few people close to South Belfast, and it has thrown a different light on things.

The leaked letter appears to have been written by people who wanted to enter into a genuine discussion with the Party leadership about matters relating to candidate selection in South Belfast. These are not people one would normally consider as rebels / or egoists / or stooges. I’m publishing its contents below…

From what I gather the letter was not written to be leaked (as these things sometimes are). That the letter was leaked is a matter of disappointment for Reg but also for many people in South Belfast.

I posted on this previously without knowing the content / context of this letter. Having read it, I can understand their motives and I can understand why SB was inviting a conversation on the matter. I feel I was unduly harsh about what was happening here.

The letter has been leaked, it is in the public domain. There’s lots of speculation about the content so I publish it below in order for the position of South Belfast to become clear. Certainly, this is no DUP plot – this is simply a conversation that members of the UUP (who are determined to win SB in 2010) want to have.

I don’t think there’s anything disreputable about the contents. In fact I would be amazed if an honest conversation like this did not take place.

My own personal advice to the UUP is that the leadership should go to SB and meet a full session of the constituency branch… and talk till you drop. Stay there till one strategy or t’other wins out. In my estimation, these are not plotters, they’re Ulster Unionists looking for a conversation.

TO: THE UUP PARTY LEADER – SIR REG EMPEY.

CC.:

29^th September 2009

DEAR SIR REG,

Following a meeting of the South Belfast UUP Association to-night, I am writing to you, to inform you of the following statement which was unanimously passed by the meeting viz.:

It is the unanimous view of this Association that it is essential that there should be one agreed Unionist candidate, agreed between the UUP-Conservatives and the DUP, to contest the South Belfast Parliamentary seat at the next UK Westminster general election.

South Belfast was a safe Unionist seat until 2005, and it is patently obvious that if both a UCUNF candidate and a DUP candidate contest this seat, this will result in the present MP – the SDLP incumbent being re-elected.

In this context, a motion was also unanimously passed that exploratory talks are undertaken immediately, and as a matter of urgency, with the DUP. This would be to ascertain the possibility of agreeing one Unionist candidate to contest the South Belfast seat, on behalf of all Unionists, who make up the majority of the electors in this constituency. Members at the meeting also stated that they could undertake talks with the DUP at a local South Belfast level, if this complemented and assisted the overall process, and objective, of agreeing one joint Unionist candidate.

As also agreed unanimously at the meeting, I have been asked to convey the above views and position to you, in the strongest terms.

On behalf of the Association, I look forward to receiving your reply as I have been asked to immediately convey any response back to our members.

Yours Sincerely, and Kindest Regards,

PS. I tried to get this uploaded as a JPEG in its original letter format, but that was an hour I’ll not get back. Safe to say, I received the full letter and not some words pasted into an email.

<!–[if !mso]> <! st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } –>

TEL. : FAX. : MOBILE : EMAIL :

TO: THE UUP PARTY LEADER – SIR REG EMPEY.

CC.:

29^th September 2009

DEAR SIR REG,

Following a meeting of the South Belfast UUP Association to-night, I am writing to you, to inform you of the following statement which was unanimously passed by the meeting viz.:

It is the unanimous view of this Association that it is essential that there should be one agreed Unionist candidate, agreed between the UUP-Conservatives and the DUP, to contest the South Belfast Parliamentary seat at the next UK Westminster general election.

South Belfast was a safe Unionist seat until 2005, and it is patently obvious that if both a UCUNF candidate and a DUP candidate contest this seat, this will result in the present MP – the SDLP incumbent being re-elected.

In this context, a motion was also unanimously passed that exploratory talks are undertaken immediately, and as a matter of urgency, with the DUP. This would be to ascertain the possibility of agreeing one Unionist candidate to contest the South Belfast seat, on behalf of all Unionists, who make up the majority of the electors in this constituency. Members at the meeting also stated that they could undertake talks with the DUP at a local South Belfast level, if this complemented and assisted the overall process, and objective, of agreeing one joint Unionist candidate.

As also agreed unanimously at the meeting, I have been asked to convey the above views and position to you, in the strongest terms.

I look forward to receiving your reply as I have been asked to immediately convey any response back to our members.

Yours Sincerely, and Kindest Regards,

The Bobballs bedtime routine…

more about “The Bobballs bedtime routine…“, posted with vodpod

Here’s one of those signals that show you how much society has changed in your own lifetime. If this ad were filmed today the bloke would be carrying a machine gun and wearing a huge alarm clock. Dr Who’s wife? She’d be fully chav-ed out in burberry hotpants and a fur coat.

Yes, this was a grumpy old man post. The kids are no longer all right. Not any more. Sandra Dickinson has taught me this.

PS. Check out that interior decor. Jeez. Ironically, for a fire prevention message they filmed in the one house you’d definitely burn down. Pass me the matches Dickinson, old fruit!

Some thoughts on the UUP in South Belfast…

The conduct of the UUP is South Belfast is attracting considerable comment (chiefly here, here and here). What does this mean?

In the first instance, the DUP have persuaded CUs in the area to bypass central authority and to deal at a local level with them. The result? A little local antipathy has been extended so far as a request to withdraw this New Force from c.60,000 people in South Belfast. It’s a fundamental challenge to the deal which must be refused.

No matter what the UUP do now, enough damage has been within the SB constituency to show that:

• a) old-fashioned carve ups survive the New Force
• b) that substantial questions/dissent can be marshalled against the New Force
• c) that the UUP is apparently less committed to Unionist voters than the DUP (because it refuses to agree unity candidates).

SB and FST are always twinned when it comes to unionist brokering. The logic is that a united Unionist candidate can beat the nationalist parties in both, so each Unionist party selects a constituency to run in and withdraws from the other.

Anything that occurs in SB impacts on FST. So the net result of SB’s letter is an undermined UCUNF SB candidate and a head start for DUP in FST. At this stage, and with a new and complex product to sell, UCUNF are at a disadvantage in at least 2 of 10 Unionist constituencies.

So, the SB letter will be inevitably be rebuffed by the UUP leadership.  And if the constituency falls back into line, is that the end of the matter?

I’m not sure.

What about this – at the very moment a UCUNF SB candidate comes forward in the weeks ahead, what would it mean if the DUP summarily announced they were withdrawing from running in South Belfast?

It has been established that SB UUP are prepared to deal sideways (with the DUP) and upwards (with UUP HQ). If the DUP withdraw from running in SB it will look very much as though a deal has been reached locally (whether it has or not becomes irrelevant).

In truth, nothing positions the new brand better than running in opposition to the DUP. Surely UCUNF not only needs to run 18 candidates but it needs 18 DUP candidates to run against. But what if the DUP doesn’t oblige? If the DUP withdraws in SB, the UCUNF candidate will be seen by the large APNI vote in the area to be the benefactor of a dodgy deal. And they will surely abandon that candidate. (Anna Lo has been quick to refer to sectarian headcounts.)

A withdrawal in SB would demonstrate the DUP’s credentials for Unionist unity and really put the pressure on in FST  (where a UCUNF candidate must run – has Tom Elliott already been selected?). But the local unionist population (no doubt keen to remove Gildernew) will surely reward the DUP for seeming to act selflessly in SB. 

Can the UUP retrieve SB?

Perhaps one way to save SB is for a moderate candidate like Ian Parsley to run (his APNI background could retrieve things in an area with strong Alliance sympathies / and a social justice message probably means more in an ethnically diverse & impoverished inner-city community like SB than in North Down). His defection embodied the persuasive nature of this new deal – so why waste him in North Down (which will no doubt be another area for discomfiture over the months ahead)?

Furthermore, the fractiousness / despair that infected SB might yet spread to other constituencies. The (extraordinary) length of the UCUNF selection process must be seriously reduced to contain things. UCUNF need some candidates for the party to unite behind.

Tactically, this is powerful stuff from the DUP. The UCUNF people are clearly in damage limitation mode, whereas the DUP have time and options to maximise their take from this. Interesting to see what happens next… could a DUP withdrawal be the answer?

PS. Yes, alot of the above is just spit-balling. Maybe I’ve completely misread what could happen here – interested to hear any alternative analysis…

PPS. SB were still in the process of selecting a candidate when this letter emerged. And according to Seymour Major’s piece Tom Elliott is the UCUNF candidate in FST. So SB were ultimately asking permission to endorse a DUP candidate.

If the SB preference is a pact with the DUP over the Tories, then that’s a fundamental split in opinion. Who is in control of this branch? The UUP must reassert discipline here – who would bet against a few expulsions and walkouts over the next few weeks? No doubt the DUP will be agitating some walkouts to occur during the UUP’s annual conference.

PPPS. Oh, I see Peter McCann is being positioned as the Conservative choice for SB. (Where now for Ian Parsley?) Still, McCann – like Parsley – looks like the kind of candidate who can appeal to the broadest possible spectrum of voters in the area.